Active vs. Passive Research

Explore with me

Published on November 18, 2004 By iamheather In Misc

Call me crazy, but I prefer active research. What is active vs. passive research? Well in the words of my favorite comedian Eddie Izzard "Active research is exploring and discovering. Passive research is when you let the research come to you." (ex. through the TV like The History Channel, A&E, or The Science Channel)

The other day as I was driving my son to school in the morning, I saw a dead possum (we live in a heavily wooded area). This possum was not marred or disfigured in any way; just immobile. When I left 4 hours later to take my twins to school, I saw two hawks dragging the possum out of the road. As they dragged it along, each would stop periodically to pick up the entrails left behind from the carcass. I found the whole scene grotesquely fascinating.

When I got home, I tried to encourage my (cave)man husband to take an energizing stroll with me to the hawk/possum carcass display to do some active research. He said, "No way. I will wait to do passive research on the Science Channel."

Darn!

Comments

Danny Bassette

on Nov 18, 2004

You could go out and actively research these animals and their strange eating habits on your own. I mean, whats the worse that could happen, they give you a first hand demonstration?

Texas Wahine

on Nov 19, 2004

Ewww . . . yucky, iamheather!

iamheather

on Nov 19, 2004

You could go out and actively research these animals and their strange eating habits on your own. I mean, whats the worse that could happen, they give you a first hand demonstration?

exactly! I am all into active research, but I am still a woman afterall. I need a big strong man to protect me!

iamheather

on Nov 19, 2004

Ewww . . . yucky, iamheather!

Yes it was, but also quite interesting. Guess it goes along with my fascination with serial killers.

iamcrazy

Eastern Diamondback

on Nov 19, 2004

Normally I agree with you, iamheather, but I can vividly recall a little nature outing to Union County, IL about 10 years ago where passiveness would have been better. My friends and I were there to look for different various species of trees and animals. One of my friends got mud all over his hands and arms, so he found a small pool of water to rinse them off. About four feet to his left was a fairly large cottonmouth , obviously very agitated by this disurbance. My friend jumped back about 10 feet after spotting it. Unfortunately, this area must have been snake central, because slithering out from behind a tree was another cottonmouth, just a couple yards away. If you aren't of the temperment of the cottonmouth, let's just say it is probably the most assertive/agressive of the venomous snakes in America. Both of them hissed and showed their fangs. We pounded our feet on the ground and baritone yelling, to no avail. The snakes stood their ground. My friend figured rinsing off his arms wasn't all that important, so we left.

iamheather

on Nov 19, 2004

The snakes stood their ground. My friend figured rinsing off his arms wasn't all that important, so we left.

And rightly so, Diamond!

T_Bone4Justice

on Nov 19, 2004

iamheather, when it comes to nature...I have to agree with Eastern Diamondback that passive research might be more prudent if you are not an expert in that field. However, I think active research should be the preferred method for academic endeavors and for blog articles if those articles are to be taken seriously. I also think that people should actively research political issues before taking a position on any given subject but I realize that a lot of people just simply do not have the time or the will to do so.

iamheather

on Nov 19, 2004

I also think that people should actively research political issues before taking a position on any given subject but I realize that a lot of people just simply do not have the time or the will to do so.

Unfortunately, most people perform passive research when it comes to political issues.

Dr Guy

on Nov 19, 2004

I understand your Fascination with the scene. I also am fascinated by nature and how it lives. We got a couple of coons in our backyard, and we live in the middle of suburbia!

iamheather

on Nov 19, 2004

I understand your Fascination with the scene. I also am fascinated by nature and how it lives.

Good! I feel much better. Thought I was the only freak!

dharmagrl

on Nov 19, 2004

understand your Fascination with the scene. I also am fascinated by nature and how it lives.

Good! I feel much better. Thought I was the only freak!

Nope. I'm like that as well. Any opportunity to see nature in action; I'm there. With my kids. We have squirrels in our yard, I found a water snake on my patio a couple of weeks ago and I think that we have a possum hanging out here too. I love to sit and watch them....

iamheather

on Nov 21, 2004

Nope. I'm like that as well.

OOOh and I keep good company as well!

Texas Wahine

on Dec 06, 2004

Heather, I don't know if you watch The Simpsons or not, but on tonight's episode Bart's chalkboard sentence was "Poking a dead raccoon with a stick is not research." Thought you'd like to know that.

iamheather

on Dec 06, 2004

Heather, I don't know if you watch The Simpsons or not, but on tonight's episode Bart's chalkboard sentence was "Poking a dead raccoon with a stick is not research." Thought you'd like to know that

DOH!

Yes I do watch the Simpsons, but I missed that. Thank you so much for posting that. I had a great laugh!

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